Plans for Michael Jackson's burial have finally been set for August 29th, the same day the King of Pop entered the world, and would have been celebrating his 51st birthday. While the private ceremony takes place at 10 a.m. on the West Coast (in the Great Mausoleum at Glendale Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California), the East Coast will be celebrating his life in a different way. more ›

While most networks are carrying live coverage of the Michael Jackson memorial, New Yorkers have a chance to watch it with other fans. According to WCBS 2, viewing locations include the Adam Clayton Powell state office building on West 125th Street (Manhattan), Chelsea Cinemas on West 23rd Street (Manhattan), and the Park Slope Pavilion 9 (Brooklyn). The memorial at the Staples Center, which features Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Kobe Bryant, Brooke Shields, Berry Gordy, the Rev. Al Sharpton, Usher and many more, starts at 1 p.m. EST, but coverage begins hours before then. Additionally, the LAPD just announced that Jackson's casket will be headed to the Staples Center (with SWAT team escort)—it's unclear whether the route will be announced. more ›

To accompany its Michael Jackson package of articles, the Village Voice put a 1976 photograph of the music legend on its cover. The Voice's Runnin' Scared blog explains that the picture of a dynamic Jackson against the city was "taken on a balcony on the Upper East Side by music photographer Michael Putland. Whatever brought him to town, Jackson was a tough subject, Putland says. He could hardly believe that someone who projected such a giant personality on stage could be so fragile and soft-spoken in person. 'I felt almost sorry for him while taking the photos. I wanted to say, "It's OK, Michael."' Putland also said that it was hard getting Jackson to show his personality, noting that he seemed "very child-like." Also: "It was Jackson's request to wear the deerstalker. Putland remembers thinking that it was a silly hat, but he didn't have the heart to say no." Also check out the Voice's archives of Jackson reviews and articles. In other MJ news, tickets for Jackson's memorial in LA next Tuesday will be randomly drawn (enter here), the powerful sedative Diprivan was found in his home, and he will be buried in a $25K casket. more ›

The King of Pop's death and legacy was honored by the City Council today. But PolitickerNY, which took video (below), noticed that some City Council members walked out—Republicans Jimmy Oddo, Vinny Ignizio and Eric Ulrich and Democrats Peter Vallone Jr. and Lew Fidler—during fellow members Inez Dickens' and Helen Diane Foster's tributes. more ›